Sarbjeet’s fate in Musharraf’s hands: Asma Jehangir

Lucknow, March 17 (IANS) Chairman of Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission Asma Jehangir said here Monday that the fate of Sarabjit Singh, Indian national on death row in Pakistani jail, is in the hands of only one man - President Pervez Musharraf. “The fate of Sarbjeet Singh depends entirely on one man - Musharraf - who apparently has a closed mind on the issue,” she told reporters.

“There were more than 7,000 people on the death row in Pakistan and left to us we would seek amnesty for all of them,” she said.

Jehangir was here on a visit as United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

She was also invited to an interactive session with people from different walks of life.

Jehangir expressed serious concerns over the decision of certain lawyer groups not to defend anyone accused of any terrorist act. “I think it is unfair to predetermine every accused as a convict,” she remarked.

Asked how she could compare the state of minorities in India and Pakistan, she shot back: “The two were incomparable simply because India was a democratic and secular nation which Pakistan was not”.

She said: “In view of India’s secular character, the expectations from this nation were very high, unlike Pakistan where rights were limited and minorities are therefore at a receiving end”.

Jehangir observed: “It was because of these factors that when something like the events in Gujarat happen, it sends shock waves across the world; if that were to happen in a closed country then these things may not even get noticed”.